Filling-exhaustion-indicating means for looms.



A. E. RHOADES.

- FILLING EXHAUSTION INDIGATING MEANS FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6,1909.

943,846. Patented Dec.21,1909.

ALONZO E. BHOADES, OF HOPEDALE,

PANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A

1/IASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COM- CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FILLING-EXHAUSTION-INDICATING MEANS FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Application filed April 8, 1909. Serial No. 488,165.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoxzo E. RI-IOADES, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Hopedale, county of orcester, State of lvlassachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Filling-Exhaustion-Indicating Means forLooms, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawingrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to that class of looms wherein the supply offilling in the working shuttle is replenished automatically prior tocomplete exhaustion of the old supply, or stoppage of the loom iseffected, in order to avoid defects in the cloth being woven. Such loomsare technically termed feeler looms because a member of theexliaustion-indicating means is arranged to cooperate intermittinglywith the filling in the working shuttle to feel the same and at the timeof predetermined exhaustion or depletion of the filling effect thedesired change in the operation of the loom, such member being termed afeeler Various devices have been used for indicating the predeterminedexhaustion or de pletion of the filling in the shuttle, some be ing soarranged that the filling-induced movement of the feeler graduallydecreases in amplitude to the point of predetermined exhaustion of thefilling, while in other devices the effective movement of the feeler isprevented until the filling is exhausted to a predetermined extent. Adevice of the latter character is shown in United States Patent No.(338,200 granted to J. H. Northrop November 28, 1899, thefilling-carrier being provided with a longitudinally-movable controlleror feeler-stop, which is held in the path of the feeler until releasedby depletion of the filling, the released controller being moved by itsmomentum out of the feeler path when the shuttle is boxed. In thatpatent the controller is shown as an annulus or ring longitudinallymounted on the filling-carrier and held in its highest position, orfarthest from the head of the carrier, when the latter is on the spindleduring the spinning operation.

My present invention has for its object the production of improvedfillingexhaustion-indicating means having in some respects a generalresemblance to the patented ing-carrier and structure above referred to,but differing essentially therefrom in various features of construction,arrangement and operation, as will be fully described in the subjoinedspecification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of a loom-shuttle and fillingcarrier therein, with one embodiment of my present invention appliedthereto, the controller being shown in its abnormal position, out of thefeeler path; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the filling-carrier andcontroller in the position assumed when on the spindle of a spinningframe, showing the preliminary winding of yarn or filling in full linesand the main winding thereof in dotted lines; Fig. 3 is a detail inelevation of the head end of the filling-carrier and the controller,with a por tion of the yarn wound thereon; Fig. t is a verticalsectional detail of the carrier and the controller, on the line et-i,Fig. 2.

The shuttle A partly shown in Fig. 1 is of a well known form employed inlooms of the type wherein the filling-supply is changed automatically,such shuttle having an opening A for the reception of the fillbeingprovided with spring holdingjaws A to grasp the head of the carrier, thefront. all of the shuttle having a slot or aperture A for the receptionof the feeler, indicated by dotted lines at F.

As herein shown the filling-carrier or bobbin comprises an elongated andsome what tapered barrel 1), and an enlarged head I) provided with ringsb to be engaged by the holding-jaws A of the shuttle, thefilling-carrier having the usual longitudinal bore 5" for the receptionof the spindle during the operation of spinning or laying the winding ofyarn upon the carrier.

The barrel near the head is made cylindrical for a part of its length,as at b, and is provided with a longitudinal slot or recess Z) extendingdiametrically through the cylindrical portion from one to the other sidethereof, substantially as in the patent before referred to.

The controller is slidably mounted on the slotted part b and I haveherein shown said controller as comprising a cylindrical body 1embracing the part b to slide freely thereon and held from rotation bylugs 2 turned inward into the slot 1), see Fig. t, such lugs alsolimiting longitudinal movement of the controller, the inner end of thebody there of having a conical extension 3 provided at its base with arelatively deep annular flange 4. This flange is considerably larger indiameter than the body 1 and is concentric therewith, and with theextension 3 forms a. species of hood or shield for the part of the head6 of the filling-carrier during th spinning operation, as will bereferred to hereinafter. The controller is preferably made of light,stiff metal, spun or otherwise formed to the desired shape, and it willbe seen that the body 1 thereof is quite long.

lVithin the opening A of the shuttle at the jaw end thereof I haveprovided a yielding orspring detent 5, Fig. 1, fixed at one end as at 6by being embedded in the shuttlewood, or fastened otherwise in anysuitable manner, the detent extending longitudinally toward the oppositeend of the shuttle and at its free end it is bent outward at 7 andextended into a socket 8 provided therefor in the rear wall of theshuttle. The function of the detent will be explained after referencehas been made to the spinning operation whereby the proper yarn mass orload is laid upon the filling-carrier.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and l;. when th filling-carrier is placed on thespinningspindle (not shown) the controller is positioned as shown, withthe hood 3, l thereof inclosing the upper portion of the head Z). thebody 1 being then properly positioned with relation to the ring-railthespinning frame to receive upon it a preliminary winding g of theyarn, Figs. 2 and This preliminary winding is of sufficient length toextend, say, a couple of times or more through the shed, in order thatthe filling replenishing mechanism may have time to operate whenpredetermined filling-exhaustion is indicated, and after suchpreliminary winding is laid the laying on of the main winding 1 iseffected in usual manner. The hood 3, a protects the head of the filliicarrier and pr vents any of the yarn from being laid thereupon,particularly when the ring-rail is positioned to deliver the yarn at oradjacent the lower end of the body of the controller, the extension 3serving as a definite point of support for the main body of yarn at itsbase. It will be seen that while the preliminary winding is only laidupon the body of the controller the main winding 1 is laid upon both thecontroller and the filling-carrier, so that thereby said controller isfirmly held in the position shown in F 2 so long as any part of the yarnis laid upon the filling-carrier. The filling-supply thus constituted isready for use in the shuttle, and when inserted therein by thetransferring mechanism employed in automatic filling-replenishing loomsthe extension 3 and flange will be out of range of both the feeler F andthe detent 5, though l l l f l l l l l l l the latter may and probablywill in general be pressed outward by the adjacent yarn mass. Suchdetent, however, will not in such case interfere with the properdelivery of the yarn from the shuttle as it will press Very lightlythereupon. The parts remain in such relative position during the unwinding of the main body y/ of the yarn, the controller being held fromlongitudinal movement upon the filling-carrier until all of the yarn hasbeen drawn off from the carrier itself. llhen that is accomplished thecontroller is released but it will be remembered that there stillremains the preliminary winding 2 upon the controller.

On the boxing of the shuttle at the righthand side of the loom, viewingFig. 1, the controller, no longer held from longitudinal movement by themain winding, will by its momentum slide upon the part b toward the tipof the filling-carrier, and such movement will carry the edge of theflange past the shouldered part or bend 7 of the detent, see Fig. 1. Thelatter, by its resiliency, positions itself in operative position justas soon as the flange 4 has slid past the free end of such detent, sothat the controller is at once brought under the controlv of the detentand cannot by its momentum slide toward the head of the filling-carrierwhen the shuttle is boxed at the left-hand side of the loom.

While the controller remains under the control of the main winding offilling the feeler F, Fig. 1, will intermittingly engage the filling andwill thereby be held from operative movement, but when the controllerreleased by the filling and moves into the control of the detent thecontroller is altogether out of the feeler-path, as shown in Fig. l. Thefeeler is now permitted to perform its proper functional movement, andthe change in the operation of the loom is effected by mechanismprovided for the purpose and forming no part of my invention.

It. will be seen that by the construction herein shown and described avery close and accurate operation is made possible, with a minimum offilling waste, for the difference between the inaction and action of thefeeler is substantially the thickness of the body 1 of the controller.This obviates any cooperation of the filling-exhaustion-indicatingmechanism with the shuttle and the fillingcarrier or the filling,conjointly, and pro vides for a prompt and efficient functional actionof the feeler whenever the filling in the working shuttle is depleted orexhausted to a predetermined extent.

From the structure illustrated, it will be seen that by slightlychanging the position of the feeler to the left from that indicated in 1such feeler could be made to engage intermittingly the part 4 of thehood of the controller while the latter is controlled by the filling,the functional operation of such teeler occurring when the controller isfreed from control of the filling and engaged by the detent. The hoodprevents any winding of the yarn upon the head of the filling-carrier,as has been stated, and enables the spinning operation to be effectedwithout any special etl'ort on the part of the spinner when thepreliminary winding is being laid.

Various changes or modifications in details of construction may be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention as set forth in the annexed claims,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a loom-shuttle having ateeler-opening in one wall and provided with a normally inoperativedetent at its opposite wall, and a filling-carrier provided with alongitudinally-movable feeler-controller, itselit controlled by thewound tilling, said detent cooperating with the controller to maintainit in abnormal position when the filling has been exhausted to apredetermined extent, said controller having a cylindrical, continuousyarn-carrying portion.

2. In combination, a loom-shuttle having a feeler-opening in one walland provided at its opposite wall with a detent, and a fillingcarrierprovided with a longitudinallymovable teeler-controller having ayarn-carrying portion and a hood, said controller itself held by themain mass of filling in the teeler-path, the detent cooperatingautomatically with the hood to maintain the controller out of thefeeler-path when the filling has been exhausted to a predeterminedextent.

3. In combination, a loom-shuttle slotted to receive a feeler andprovided with a normally inoperative detent at a distance from suchslotted portion, and a filling-carrier provided with a controllermovable longitudinally thereon and having a cylindrical body, a conicalextension at the inner end thereof. and an annular flange on the base ofthe extension, projecting therefrom in a direction opposite to the body,the main winding of yarn preventing movement of the controller untilpredetermined exhaustion of the yarn, said detent cooperating with theflange when the controller is freed and maintaining it out of thefeeler-path.

In combination, a loom-shuttle slotted for the free entrance of a feelerand provided with a normally inoperative detent, at a distance from theslotted portion, and a filling-carrier provided with alongitudinally-movable controller having at its inner end an annularhollow enlargement held around the enlarged head of the fillingcarrierby the wound filling, exhaustion of the latter to a predetermined extentreleast t t l ing the controller and permitting longitudinal movementthereot' out of the teeterpath, the detent cooperating with thecontroller when freed by the unwinding of the tilling permitting the't'unctional movement of the 't'eeler.

5. In combination, a loom-shuttle having a feeler-opening and providedwith a detent at a distance from such opening, a tiltingcarrier in theshuttle provided with a longitudinally-movab1e controller having at itsinner end an annular flange normally embracing the head of thefilling-carrier, a preliminary winding of filling on the controller, anda main winding of filling on said controller and the filling-carrier,holding said controller tt'rom longitudinal movement and with the flangesurrounding and protecting the head of the filling-carrier, the detentcooperating with the controller when the latter is freed by exhaustionof the main winding and changes its position, to retain said controllerin such changed position and wholly out of the feeler-path.

G. A filling-carrier for loom-shuttles, provided with a longitudinallymovable controller having a cylindrical portion to receive a preliminarywinding of filling, and an enlarged annular hood on the inner end ofsaid cylindrical portion, to fit over and cover the upper part of thehead of the tilling-carrier during the spinning operation.

7. filling-carrier for loom-shuttles, provided with a controller capableof longitudinal movement only thereupon and having a continuous,cylindrical body portion to receive a preliminary winding of filling,and an enlarged annular hood on the inner end of the body to tit overthe head of the fillingcarrier during the spinning operation and preventthe filling from being laid upon the head.

8. A filling-carrier for loom-shuttles, pro vided with alongitudinally-movable controller having a body portion to receive apreliminary winding of filling, a conical ex tension on the inner end ofthe body, and a deep annular flange on the base of said conicalextension, and adapted to extend over the head of the filling-carrier.

9. A filling-carrier for loom-shuttles, provided with a controllercapable of longitudinal movement only thereupon and having a cylindricalbody adapted to receive a preliminary winding of filling, means to limitlongitudinal movement and prevent rotation of said controller relativelyto the fillingcarrier, a conical extension on the inner end of the body,and an annular flange on the base of said extension concentric with thebody, and adapted to extend over the head of the filling-carrier.

10. A filling-supply for loom-shuttles, comprising a filling-carrierhaving a longitudinallyanovable controller thereon, pro

vided at its inner end with a conical extension terminating at its basein a deep annular flange adapted to extend over the head of thefilling-carrier, means to maintain the controller always coaxial withthe fillingcarrier, a preliminary winding of yarn on said controller,and held thereby from contact with the filling-carrier, and a mainwinding of yarn laid on said controller and on the filling-carrier, tohold the controller from movement until the main winding of yarn hasbeen drawn off.

11. A filling-supply for loom-shuttles, comprising a filling-carrierhaving a head and provided with a longitndinally-movable controllerhaving a continuous, cylindrical body, a hood on the inner end of thebody to project over and shield the adjacent part of the head, apreliminary winding of yarn on the cylindrical body, and a main windingof yarn laid on the body and on the fillingcarrier, to restrain thecontroller from longitudinal movement until the main winding has beendrawn off.

12. A filling-supply for loom-shuttles, comprising a filling-carrierhaving a head and provided with a longitudinally-inovable controllerhaving a cylindrical body, a conical extension on the inner end of'thebody, an annular flange on the base of said extension projecting in theopposite direction from and concentric with the body, to shield the headduring the spinning operation, a preliminary winding of yarn on the bodyof the controller and held thereby from contact with thefilling-carrier, and a main winding of yarn laid on the body and on thefillingcarrier, to prevent movement of said controller until such mainWinding has been drawn oft.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO E. RHOADES.

itnesses Jnssn D. BROMLEY, E. D. Osooon.

